You are interested in applying for a new position at your company but have some questions. Write a letter to you boss. In your letter include: - Which position you are considering - What questions you have about it - How your boss can help you decide - whether or not to apply
Sample Response
Dear John,
I am writing to inform you of my desire to apply for the position of assistant to the regional manager and ask your advice as to my suitability for this role. The job opening was advertised in a recent company-wide memo and would involve working for Ted Johnson, who holds a position equivalent to yoursyour equivalent position in the Lynn district.
I have several questions. Firstly, wouldwill you be willing to recommend me for this position if I choose to apply? Secondly, what are the main requirements of the roleprimary role requirements for such an assistant? Finally, would it be possible to keep my current job if my application is unsuccessful?
I would also like to ask for your thoughts before submitting my applicationsubmitting a final application. I’ve been working directly under you for three3 years so you can best assess my abilities. You could greatly help me by being direct and honest about my potentialas to my potential and whether or not I am pursuing a viable career path.
Thank you for taking the time.
Best regardsRegards,
Why this response received Band 8.0
This is a concise, professional letter that clearly identifies the position, asks focused questions, and explains exactly how the manager's advice could guide the decision. The main limitation is that a few expressions and punctuation choices are slightly less natural than the otherwise polished language; the priority is a final edit for idiomatic phrasing and precise punctuation.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The response fully addresses every requested point with a clear purpose, relevant detail, and an appropriately professional tone.
Make the decision point even more explicit by briefly stating which factors would ultimately determine whether the writer applies.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information is logically sequenced in focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader naturally through the request.
Add a slightly smoother link between the questions and the request for personal advice to strengthen continuity further.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied, precise, and well suited to a workplace application, with only isolated slightly awkward phrasing.
Refine expressions such as 'holds your equivalent position' to the more natural 'holds a position equivalent to yours'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately and flexibly, with only minor punctuation or formality lapses.
Add the missing comma after the introductory dependent clause following '3 years' and review capitalisation in the closing.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You are interested in applying for a new position at your company but have some questions. Write a letter to you boss. In your letter include:
- Which position you are considering
- What questions you have about it
- How your boss can help you decide
- whether or not to apply
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.